Pest-busters fight rats, cockroaches and fleas

Rats at schools and cockroaches in Council offices are among the latest cases of pest infestations at local authority premises.

Pest controllers have had to deal with a cockroach infestation at Britannia House, in the city centre, which is undergoing a major refurbishment.

And rats have had to be eradicated from Thornton Primary School and Heaton Primary School as well as from the Council’s Harris Street depot in Bradford.

Going back further, there have been 100 cases of pest infestations in Bradford Council buildings in the last five years, which also include mice, fleas, wasps and bees, ants and several cases of unidentified insects.

Dozens of other buildings including libraries and a leisure centre have had to be cleared of either unwanted rodents or insects during that time.

Other infestations have seen Shearbridge depot affected a total of six times by pests including fleas, mice and rats; Jacob’s Well hit six times with fleas, mice and unidentified insects; Britannia House hit four times by fleas, cockroaches, bees on the fourth floor and unidentified insects; City Hall plagued three times by rats outside, fleas and wasps; Keighley Library hit three times by fleas; and Keighley Leisure Centre afflicted twice by cockroaches and wasps.

The data also shows that, from April 2009, schools were visited 33 times, with a total of 25 different centres requesting help to get rid of pests including ants, cockroaches, fleas, mice, rats and wasps.

In total, pest control was needed at 11 Council workplaces, including City Hall, Jacob’s Well and Britannia House, as well as Bingley, Ilkley and Shipley town halls; three libraries, including Keighley and Haworth Road branches; Keighley Leisure Centre and Cartwright Hall.

Promoted stories

There were a total of 100 pest operations, with 22 in 2009/10, 21 in 2010/11, 27 in 2011/12, dropping to 14 in 2012/13 and 16 in 2013/14 up to the end of February.

Wasps were the most common, with 36 reports, while rats – either inside or outside – resulted in 21 cases. In addition there were 15 reports of flea infestations.

Share article

Councillor Andrew Thornton, the authority’s executive member for the environment, said: “When we receive a report of pests at any Council building we seek to deal with it as quickly and effectively as possible. The public can be assured of that.”

He added: “These things seem to vary from year to year, and there appears to be no particular trend.”

memo for councillor thornton, don't worry the voters will be getting rid of the biggest threats to bradford at the next election in the biggest clear out of threatening pests in a city hall ever seen.

memo for councillor thornton, don't worry the voters will be getting rid of the biggest threats to bradford at the next election in the biggest clear out of threatening pests in a city hall ever seen.johnhem

memo for councillor thornton, don't worry the voters will be getting rid of the biggest threats to bradford at the next election in the biggest clear out of threatening pests in a city hall ever seen.

Score: 6

pokertee says...1:12pm Sat 26 Apr 14

HAHA they are not rats and cockroaches they are council staff, Ok i agree its hard to tell the difference especially in the DWP.

HAHA they are not rats and cockroaches they are council staff, Ok i agree its hard to tell the difference especially in the DWP.pokertee

HAHA they are not rats and cockroaches they are council staff, Ok i agree its hard to tell the difference especially in the DWP.

Score: 2

PNT says...10:44pm Sat 26 Apr 14

The mild winter will have ensured a massive growth in the rat population over the whole of Bradford, not just Council properties. It is early Summer, over the next few months rat numbers are bound to increase at an alarming rate. Action needs to be taken now and not just for council premises, but for all of us.

The mild winter will have ensured a massive growth in the rat population over the whole of Bradford, not just Council properties. It is early Summer, over the next few months rat numbers are bound to increase at an alarming rate. Action needs to be taken now and not just for council premises, but for all of us.PNT

The mild winter will have ensured a massive growth in the rat population over the whole of Bradford, not just Council properties. It is early Summer, over the next few months rat numbers are bound to increase at an alarming rate. Action needs to be taken now and not just for council premises, but for all of us.

Ipsoregulated

This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standardards Organisations's Editors' Code of Practice. If you have a compaint about editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then please contact the editor here. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can contact IPSO here